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The One-Eyed Gypsy Bar / Live Music Venue

The One-Eyed Gypsy The One-Eyed Gypsy in Downtown Los Angeles is a carnival-inspired bar with great DJs & bands. The future is clear, head to this LA bar with Party Earth. Los Angeles United States 34.048541 -118.233789

3.87 15

The One-Eyed Gypsy - Bar | Live Music Venue in Los Angeles.

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11 User Reviews

User Reviews (11)

Ratings:

Lucas

Adriana

Jonah

Emma

Party Earth Review On a desolate corner near the eastern edge of Downtown stands The One-Eyed Gypsy, her domed façade draped in purple and the sweet smell of funnel cakes wafting through her door. First timers walk slowly to their tables... ... read full review

Neighborhood:

Downtown
Address:

901 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Get Directions

Metro:

Metro Gold Line: Little Tokyo/Arts District‎
Links:
Official Website

Hours:

Tu 7pm–2am, W–Sa 5:30pm–2am, Su 9pm–2am
Recommended as:
- Night Spot

First to review Madeline R.

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Party Earth The One-Eyed Gypsy Review

The Scene

The One-Eyed Gypsy in Downtown Los Angeles is a carnival-inspired bar with great DJs & bands. The future is clear, head to this LA bar with Party Earth.

Downtown, Los Angeles –

On a desolate corner near the eastern edge of Downtown stands The One-Eyed Gypsy, her domed façade draped in purple and the sweet smell of funnel cakes wafting through her door.

First timers walk slowly to their tables inside so they can examine the phantasmagorical décor and eye the beaded lamps, the stuffed bison, and the assorted Coney Island kitsch like the much-loved fortune teller machine and well-worn photo booth spread throughout the front room.

Run by the same woman behind Villains Tavern, this carnival-themed dive attracts a similar crowd of vintage-clad hipsters and area musicians, as well as a packed weekend collection of barhoppers from bike-riding groups to sweater-set college kids.

If there’s no live band or resident DJ to spin 60s soul, there’s always the vintage jukebox and its classic hits to perform the musical duties, though the loudest sounds early in the evening usually come from the pair of Skeeball machines just past the dance floor.

Festive groups of girls chuck balls with an Olympic-level seriousness before bursting back onto the dance floor, as tipsy boys, their shaggy hair peeking from under wide-brimmed fedoras, devour fried Twinkies washed down with a few Tecates.

At 2am, when the upbeat crowd leaks out to the streets, The One-Eyed Gypsy closes her doors, and then her one eye, winking into the night and daring her guests not to return real soon.

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Tip from Emma:

During Happy Hour you can score a canned beer and a snack item for only $4! If you head over on a Thursday, you can also get your trivia fix – the perfect pick-me-up for the mid-week slump.

Crowd

A bawdy grab-bag of barhopping college kids, vintage-clad ladies, eye-linered boys, Downtown hipsters still panting from their bike ride across the bridge, new loft owners, live music seekers, artists, and wandering gypsies, 20s to mid-30s.
Entertainment / Music

Frequent live music ranging from bluegrass to jazz. DJ spins 50s and 60s soul most nights. A vintage jukebox filled with classic hits picks up any slack. Trivia on Thursdays.

Two Skeeball lanes. Carnival games include an old-fashioned, hand-cranked claw machine filled with curiosities, a love-gauging game, and a fortune teller machine.
Food / Miscellaneous

Fanciful carnival eats including pizza, corndogs, deep-fried chocolate-covered Twinkies, and funnel cakes. Happy Hour M–Sa open–9pm.
Prices

No cover charge. Grub $4–$9. Beer $4–$8, wine $9, cocktails/mixed drinks $7–$11. Valet $5.

What to Wear / Dress Code

From casual and comfortable to whimsical and elaborate: hoodies, cut-off jean shorts, plaid shirts, skinny jeans, denim jackets, detailed vintage dresses, fake fur coats, funky hats.
Hot Nights / When to Go

Anytime a DJ or band of interest is playing, early in the week for a chiller neighborhood vibe – especially for Thursday’s trivia night – or Fridays and Saturdays for a carnival overflowing with attendees.
Close By

Villains Tavern (1356 Palmetto Street) is owned by the same lady as Gypsy (nightlife impresario Dana Hollister) and offers a much larger cocktail selection in a fun, apothecary-style space where all the drinks are served in Mason jars.

Tags:: 20s50s Music60s SoulArcade GamesArtistsBluegrassCasualClassic RockDJDanceDance FloorDancingDiveDubstepFestiveFinger FoodFlannel ShirtsGroupsHappy HourHigh EnergyHipsterHipsterJazzJukeboxLaid backLive EntertainmentLive MusicLivelyLocalsMid 30sMusic LoversMusiciansNo cover chargePhoto BoothPizzaShotsStudentsTheme NightsUpbeatVintageVintage

The One-Eyed Gypsy User Reviews

TheLindy500 May 14, 2013 4.0 stars Kitsch and Class I am completely in love with The One-Eyed Gypsy! This is an ideal place to go on a Friday night if you're looking for a whimsical, bohemian vibe to just kick back and have fun with friends or that special someone. Located on a deserted industrial street in LA's Arts District, the glaringly purple walls and ornate wall lettering was the first thing that caught my eye in an otherwise soul-crushingly bland warehouse haven. It’s an adventurous little oasis in an otherwise mundane area. The parking situation is sadly limited as there’s only a small lot and street parking, but once you've solved the conundrum of actually getting IN the establishment, it's 100% worth it. Upon entering through the billowing curtains, the first thing that greets you at the door is a behemoth taxidermied yak gamely "smoking" a cigarette, and what awaits you inside isn't much different in terms of eclecticism. With a turn-of-the-century carnival theme, the bar sports some aged but impressive skeeball and claw arcade machines, as well as a fortune-telling slot game, photo booth, and half-octagon stage. I went a few weeks ago with friends and we spent the whole night laughing like idiots over how bad we were at most of the games. It was very much like a carnival without the miserable sun exposure and with far fancier alcohol. Speaking of alcohol, the happy hour deals are stellar. The $6 Clown's Cup is a citrusy vodka drink that will blow your mind if you're not a "moonshine only" kind of person. (It’s a bit on the sugary side but a worthwhile investment if you can handle it.) The food is pretty much in keeping with the carnival theme, with options like sliders, sweet potato fries, and corn dogs. I ordered the deep-fried oreos and tater tots, and other than giving myself diabetes in just one sitting, there was no downside. They make some killer food. I would stop here if ever I needed a fattening food fix. The music scene is kind of all over the place. They tend to favor quirky local bands that play rock Americana, funk, and folk noir. I jammed out to the curiously-dressed, mustachioed lead singer with the pink suspenders the night I was there like there was no tomorrow. If you’re tired of all the people strutting around LA bars trying to impress each other with their hair and clothes, this is the place for you. The demographic and style of the patrons is varied; college students to Silverlake hipsters to middle-aged couples who never quite grew up love this place. Try it out, you won’t regret it! Just remember to head over before that pesky 2 a.m. close time that is the bane of all LA bars. Enjoy!

dubbz1106 Mar 26, 2013 4.0 stars Break from the Ordinary This bar has everything. Parking is easy to find, although try not to drive alone. The line outside can sometimes take a while but once you're in theres a lot of space. Try and go on a night when there's a band playing because it really turns the night around! I've heard a variety of music from Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Mumford. They have a great beer and shot deal which always makes for an awesome night! The decorations and wall decor are super fun to look at, and if you get tired of that there's always the themed dressed people who come to the bar in their Renaissance-esque and slightly gothic outfits.

Eva Recinos Feb 26, 2013 3.0 stars An Alternative Bar Experience The usual bar experience means tons of strangers mingling together, some waiting to muster up enough liquid courage to speak to a cute person across the room. That same atmosphere becomes all the more fun when you set in a bar separated from the main strip in Downtown with a theme that inspires you to get as whimsical as you want. One-Eyed Gypsy supplies the fun drinks - like their fantastic warm cider - and amusing entertainment such as an antique photo booth and Skeeball machines. On different nights, some sort of entertainment takes the stage to make the night even more interesting. On any particular visit you can hear a completely different type of music - the most recent resident band Ak and her Klashnikovs got people singing along to songs sung completely in another foreign language. Meanwhile, a girl in a white flapper dress danced like she belonged int he 1920s while an excited guy climbed onto his friend's shoulders. That atmosphere ultimately makes the One-Eyed Gypsy worth visiting. The people come dressed in all types of fashion so even if you don't want to dance you can entertain yourself people-watching. The drinks and food only amp the experience, especially if you're tired of the standard drinks in other bars. In fact, not much is standard about this place - it's even rumored to be haunted.

leala creswell Jan 2, 2013 3.0 stars Incredible decor and cheap food! The One-Eyed Gypsy is definitely a gem of downtown Los Angeles! This place is definitely unique in the atmosphere and theme. During happy hour you can indulge in a deep fried oreo or enjoy a beer and slider of your choice for $5! Where else can you get carnival food and a beer for that price! As for the crowd, they are a tad eccentric; but then again, so is the bar as a whole. Overall, I can't complain about this downtown find. It is a place that I think everyone should experience.

Victor Hernández Dec 6, 2012 1.0 stars Huge Dissapointment Finally I made it out to One-Eyed Gypsy and wish I didn't. Friend and I got there really late as a last stop of our night. Five minutes after ordering our first round of drink we hear a shout, "Laaaaaaaaaaaaast callll!" My friend and are give each other an awkward look and look at the time; it was 1:05am. It was a Wednesday night but the bar was full and there was people scattered throughout the place. 5 minute later we hear another scream, "You've got 10 minutes." We had 10 minutes to finish our beer and get the hell out. What? 5 minutes after that the security starts repeatedly scream, "Time to go. Let's go. Come on I know you can hear me. Let'sgo!" How rude. I'm not sure if the staff was in a rush to get home but their website specifically says they are open until 2am. I think they should update it so it reads 1am. Needless to say this was my worst bar experience. Oh I almost forgot they have a nice decor and skeeball machines, woop de woo.

princess_die Oct 2, 2012 4.0 stars Praise La Petit Mort! Lil Death every Sunday @ One-Eyed Gypsy! I still remember when this spot used to be Bordello and to be honest I only would come to see the burlesque shows which I miss! But I hated it because of the DJ (it seemed like all he ever played was from his ipod); anyway, I came back because I wanted to give this place another chance and I personally LOVE the decor. Friend of mine told me to check out the new scene here...whoa, I am now a faithful follower! This place becomes quite the scene...it's all about fashion, culture and music; you can be whoever you want to be and it puts a nice spin to goth in a more chic and futuristic way. Their resident DJ, Tamara, is sick! She is by far one of the dopest chick DJs I've heard. They also have a photobooth which is pretty cool. It's a nice way to let you role play haha. Expect a long line outside if you're not a regular and it's a special guest DJ. Remember to dress to impress!

Paul Feinstein Aug 31, 2012 3.0 stars I miss Bordello Having taken over my all-time favorite spot in Los Angeles, I went into One Eyed Gypsy skeptically and only left slightly less skeptically. The first thing for anyone who visited the place as Bordello is that it's incredibly disorientating. It's like the whole place was flipped around because the entrance is on the opposite side, even though the bar is in the same place, but where you used to be able to view the live music from a raised balcony, you now walk into the joint. There's a lot of carnie items strewn about the spot and there's also Skee-ball. The live music I saw the night I was there was mostly jarring and the crowd wasn't exactly into it. I think I need to go back to give it a proper review - I wanted Bordello back and I simply wasn't going to get it.

Nikki Laureola Aug 8, 2012 3.0 stars Freakin' adorable! This place is so cute! It has some of my favorite decor of any bar downtown -- colorful little lanterns, ornate moulding, and bead curtains in all the doorways. The stage is really gorgeous, like Mayan Theatre status. It's got that kind of boho feel, but with downtown people. I've met everyone from jocks with workout bags to forty-year-old Austrians here. The only thing they really seem to have in common is that they like buying people drinks, haha. Crowd always seems to be pretty high energy, which is amplified by the fact that the hallway with the bar is SO tiny. There's standing room in the front by the stage and some in the back, but the sitting lounge is the place to be. People just loiter outside the doorways waiting for spots, though, so it gets crowded. Watch out for random stairs! There are some outside, too, but luckily everything is fairly well-lit. If bodies are blocking the way. As for drinks, the Voodoo Doll is great, which the bartender recommended after he couldn't make me a paloma because they don't stock grapefruit or Squirt. FYI. It's got a little kick to it (and NO ICE). This band The Downtown Train plays there sometimes, and they are REALLY entertaining. But space is limited and it gets SUPER loud, so if you're not in the mood, I'd steer clear. But still try to make it there on a non-show night!

Maddie Renov Aug 7, 2012 3.0 stars Entertaining Dive Bar One-Eyed Gypsy is a favorite bar of mine on the eastern edge of downtown. This bar is owned by the same woman that opened Villains Tavern, just under a mile away, and the similarities are evident. One-Eyed Gypsy has a similar fairyland feel to it (re: Villains Tavern) but with a dingy carnival theme twist. One-Eyed Gypsy also attracts a similar hipster crowd, but may be a more ideal destination for a low-key night when you are in search of an entertaining dive-bar. Don’t miss the photobooth and Skeeball machines in the back of the bar. This bar has it down...relatively cheap drinks and games. What more could an adult want?

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The One-Eyed Gypsy Bar / Live Music Venue

See all 27 photos

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Ratings:

Neighborhood:

Address:

Get Directions

Metro:

Links:

Hours:

Recommended as:

Party Earth The One-Eyed Gypsy Review

The Scene

Tip from Emma:

Crowd

Entertainment / Music

Food / Miscellaneous

Prices

What to Wear / Dress Code

Hot Nights / When to Go

Close By

The One-Eyed Gypsy User Reviews

Similar Venues

Upcoming Events in Los Angeles

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